What is the point of the story of Job?

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New Member

I'm curious as to the opinions of various BB participants as to what they think is the point of the book of Job. Yes, there are many things to learn from the book, but what do you think is the main point of the story, taken as a whole? As a side comment, has anyone noticed the lack of distinction between what satan did and God's responses? God never says, "blame the devil, he did it, not me".

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New Member

I've found that Job answers the perennial question: "Why do bad things happen to good people?" Another wisdom book in the OT, Ecclesiastes, answers the corollary question: "Why do good things happen to bad people?" The same answer occurs in both: God keeps us on our toes. Have faith, and don't try to go further than that.

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Well-Known Member

"God is always right." And "There is a purpose to suffering, though
we may never know why...but He knows why."

Satan was trying to tell God that Job would renounce God
if all he had was taken away.

God disagreed and basically let Satan take all the he had
to prove the point. Job never cursed God.

We all suffer. Some more than others. Sometimes we get mad
at God, or ourselves, or our life circumstances. God knows best
and we have to accept that.

When we buried our only child, I felt like Job must have.
I don't hate God for it because it is in His plan. I'm not happy that
our daughter is gone ( I think about her every day and I will for
the rest of my life and beyone) but I have joy in my heart because
I believe she went right back to God where she came from. And
I'll get to see her then.

Back to what I said, God KNEW.... Satan didn't and out of his pride
he challenged God. Satan should have just shut his pie hole.

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New Member

Wow, that's not the big message I get from Job. I'd rather not say how I see it yet. I'd like to see if anyone has an alternate view than the bad things/good people.

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I think it is possible to get multiples applications from any one book or even passage of Scripture. One meaning, many applications. So I agree with the previous posters, but I will also add that an underlying theme throughout Job, and one that is shouted to us in chapters 38-41, is the sovereignty of God.

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New Member

...I will also add that an underlying theme throughout Job, and one that is shouted to us in chapters 38-41, is the sovereignty of God.

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Shouted is a good word. After all the wayward advice and theories his friends come up with, and after Job's own misunderstanding, God reproves them all in two lengthy sections. After a comment like this by Job's friend ostensibly to exonerate God from doing anything bad to good people...

23 The Almighty is beyond our reach and exalted in power; in his justice and great righteousness, he does not oppress.

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God responds...

2 "Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge?

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Then God goes on to say in so many ways, "I made everything. It's mine. I do with it as I please." Finally...

1 Then Job replied to the LORD :

2 "I know that you can do all things;
no plan of yours can be thwarted.

3 You asked, 'Who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge?'
Surely I spoke of things I did not understand,
things too wonderful for me to know.

4 "You said, 'Listen now, and I will speak;
I will question you,
and you shall answer me.'

5 My ears had heard of you
but now my eyes have seen you.

6 Therefore I despise myself
and repent in dust and ashes."

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I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes? How can one get "why bad things happen to good people" from that answer from Job to God, which was finally the "right" one? I get something more like "why God has the right to do as He pleases with His own creation, and why all speculation to the contrary is nonsense".

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Active Member

What I get from Job is the fact it's easy to praise God and serve Him when everything is going great...but God expects this same thing in our trials and trubulations.
I also get that God will allow bad things to happen to His to test the extent with how we respond and how we depend on him.

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New Member

I'm curious as to the opinions of various BB participants as to what they think is the point of the book of Job. Yes, there are many things to learn from the book, but what do you think is the main point of the story, taken as a whole? As a side comment, has anyone noticed the lack of distinction between what satan did and God's responses? God never says, "blame the devil, he did it, not me".

Click to expand...

I find in Job that the "tradition of man", his philosophies, theologies, and the teachings of what are called of the "fathers" to be just that. Our answers can only be found in God. So many today, even of faith, are types of Job, and his three friends, and yes I am also there in some cases. The answers we hear from those of high esteem, or of longevity in knowledge, are not always of wisdom. I find in Job, what Christ revealed to Paul of justification.

Who is it that justifies? Does God justify all the same? In all of our studies, outside of His Word, don't we as Job tend to justify ourselves, not finding the answers, condemning others?

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New Member

I've just been having a look around npetreley and found out about double justice.

...the concept of double justice posits a higher hidden justice in God which transcends the Law and could condemn even the angels. This idea appears in Calvin's works before the sermons on Job but always grows out of his fascination with Job 4:18; namely, that even the angels are not clean in God's sight. In the 1559 Institutes Calvin added the concept of double justice as a further explanation of his 1539 citation of Job 4:18(3.12.1), which proved that creaturely justice cannot satisfy the justice of God.

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New Member

I've just been having a look around npetreley and found out about double justice.

...the concept of double justice posits a higher hidden justice in God which transcends the Law and could condemn even the angels. This idea appears in Calvin's works before the sermons on Job but always grows out of his fascination with Job 4:18; namely, that even the angels are not clean in God's sight. In the 1559 Institutes Calvin added the concept of double justice as a further explanation of his 1539 citation of Job 4:18(3.12.1), which proved that creaturely justice cannot satisfy the justice of God.

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The problem is that it is most likely a quotation of Eliphaz. I could also cite other quotes from Job's friends that sound good but are obviously in error. On the other hand, there's a footnote that says that some versions end the quote at verse 17, meaning that verse 18 would be Biblical truth. In that case, well, it leads to some interesting speculation. But I'd have a hard time building a case about anything if it's a verse that we're not sure is a truth or just an error from a friend. I'd need more than just that verse that is wrapped in uncertainty.

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Active Member

I would say that this is God's reponse in the last 5 chapters to the questions presented in the rest of Job.

The narrative in Job wrestles with the question of why do the righteous suffer. God's response is not to give an answer in the form of "The righteous suffer because...". Instead he describes his greatness and sovereignty for 4 chapters.

It leaves us with an unsatisfying but truthful answer to a more general question of "Why God?". Why does God do anything? The answer Job came to at the end was that God is sovereign, his purposes are beyond our comprehension and we are to trust him.

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New Member

I just assumed it was Job speaking because Calvin was using it. I think I assumed wrongly.

In that case, well, it leads to some interesting speculation.

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It did. Col 1:20 was used in support of it, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

I'll go with the Dragon and the Pastor then. Job is about the greatness and sovereignty of God.
The answer Job came to at the end was that God is sovereign, his purposes are beyond our comprehension and we are to trust him.
With reservations on the bold.

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Well-Known Member

Was it God's faith or Job's that was being tested; would there be any sense in the thought that Satan was being allowed to challenge God Himself in this situation as Satan had asked if Job had a hedge around him?

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